Grey nomads our greatest risk in water according to latest Royal Life Saving drowning figures

IMMIGRATION from land-locked nations and the rise of over-enthusiastic grey nomads are being blamed for Queensland's shocking drowning statistics, with 75 people falling prey to the state's waterways and beaches in the past financial year.

Bathtub drownings for children under five have also sky-rocketed, jumping 75 per cent across the nation on the five-year average.

The latest Royal Life Saving figures also show that in the year ending June 30, a total of 75 people died from drowning in Queensland, with 284 people falling victim to water throughout Australia.

The report also found that the 55-plus age bracket was now the single biggest for drownings. Nationally, 55-plus drownings accounted for 34 per cent of all drowning deaths.

Royal Life Saving Society Queensland executive director Michael Darben said overly-adventurous grey nomads were tackling water-based activities that they may no longer be able to perform.

"We've got to be able to re-educate people in that age group," he said.

"They may go for a paddle in the kayak or a swim, but they may not have done those things for 20 or 30 years. They're exceeding their current skills and expecting to do things they were previously able to do."

The other issue confronting Queensland, Mr Darben said, was that of the state's "growing population" and immigration from "areas where they may not have had the swimming training".

"We have an environment that attracts people to water," he said.

"When we get to lakes and rivers and dams, there's a perception that the water is safer, because there's no waves. A lot of the drownings occur in unsupervised areas."

It is becoming increasingly important, he said, to educate parents about the dangers of leaving children alone or with older siblings at bathtime.

"Children being bathed need to be supervised at all times by a responsible adult," he said.

"At no stage should you walk away from that bath. The parent must remain in the room at all times. What we perceive to be one or two minutes may be greater."

The latest figures also show that 82 per cent of drownings were men, 25 per cent occurred in rivers, creeks or streams, 23 per cent at beaches and 19 per cent in ocean and harbour locations.

"Swimming and recreating" accounted for 25 per cent of deaths, followed watercraft-related activity at 20 per cent and falls into water at 13 per cent.